Dear friends of democracy around the world,

It is time to get on the road to Rome!

It is time to register for the 2018 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy! The forum is a free, public event bringing together scholars, journalists, local officials, election administrators, and engaged citizens who are interested in direct and participatory democracy. This year’s forum takes place September 26-29, 2018 in Rome, Italy.

This also would be a good time to make arrangements for your travel and lodging, especially if you are coming from some distance. There is no official Global Forum hotel, but many hotel rooms near the forum site – the Campidoglio, the ceremonial City Hall, on Capitoline Hill, are available at good prices. Some forum attendees also have found affordable bookings through Airbnb.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you need a personalized invitation or an academic invitation to the Global Forum.

A couple more notes on the forum. The formal program starts late in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 26, with a greeting from our host, Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi, a presentation of the forum’s efforts to develop an International League of Democracy Cities, and an opening panel discussion of democracy and direct democracy in Italy.

The forum program concludes Saturday afternoon, and is followed by the assembly of Democracy International, the global network that helps organize the forum. A concluding Global Forum party is scheduled for Saturday night.

For those who arrive early, there are spaces available on a briefing tour of participatory and direct democracy in Rome. We will be walking and riding around the city to meet people who do democratic work. The tour begins midday on Monday, September 24, and concludes midday Wednesday, Sept. 26. While the Global Forum is free, the briefing tour will be subject to a small fee to cover the costs of meals and organisation.

Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have questions about the forum.

Sincerely,

Joe Mathews                                                  Bruno Kaufmann
Global Forum co-president                             Global Forum co-president
info@2018globalforum.com                            info@2018globalforum.com  

Democracy International